1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of handling devices and more specifically relates to a hose handling system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fluids are being pumped through fluid transmission lines in nearly every industry in the modern world. These fluid pumping systems are widely diverse and in use on some scale from large industries all the way down modern family residences. The substance being pumped may be petroleum, water, or even a gas, and the fluid or gas transmission lines may be fixed or non-movable, but can be portable in some situations. As an example, petroleum trucking companies use portable, flexible hoses for moving the fluid from a transport vehicle to an underground tank at the end-point destination.
Many other industries use portable pumps, which use portable, flexible hoses, to pump fluids from one location to another. The mining, construction, and environmental fields, to name a few, extensively use portable pumps having suction hoses that are heavy and bulky to handle. These portable pumps generally have semi-flexible suction hoses that can range in size from 1½ inches to 8 inches in diameter, and have to be maneuvered by hand. A 1½ or a 2 inch hose may not be considered heavy or strenuous to move by hand, but larger diameter hoses can be very cumbersome and exceedingly heavy to handle. This is especially true when the hose is filled, or partially filled, with water. Water weights 8.34 lbs. per gallon and the weight multiplies as the hose length increases. A 10 foot length of 4 inch suction hose could weigh between 5 and 15 pounds depending on the quality, but when full of water could weigh close to 70 pounds. A 6 inch suction hose can weigh close to 125 pounds when full. This ‘carried weight’ can easily lead to work place injury if not properly lifted and handled.
Suction hoses are generally in wet and muddy environments which makes them slippery, and much more difficult to lift and pull to a new location when relocation becomes necessary. Many methods have been employed to attempt to make the job easier, but often require attachment of a device that still requires lifting the hose from the mud by hand without a good grip, and more than a practical time limit to install the device and remove it again. When working with crews in industrial environments, extra time may not be an option. Taking extra time to install a lifting device on a hose can be viewed as an unnecessary time waster if it is possible to be lifted by hand. A solution that makes moving hoses or pipes without the added installation and removal time and which makes the lifting faster and easier is needed. It is desirable generally to have an efficient and comfortable means by which long cylindrical objects can be held and moved with relative ease to promote worker efficiency and safety.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pub. No. 7,730,588 to Claude Bernier, U.S. Pat. No. 8,348,317 to Mark C. Bird, U.S. Pat. No. 601,639 to Philip J. Doyle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,177 to George Ganung, U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,676 to Martin B. Harrison, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,834 to Richard J. Everding. This art is representative of carrying devices. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a hose gripping device should provide easy single-handed operation and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable hose handling system to avoid the above-mentioned problems.